Mental Illness And Loneliness

 

Mental illness and loneliness often go hand in hand. Humans have a need for closeness and interactions with others, and when those essential needs are not met, loneliness can occur.  When someone is lonely, her well-being can be affected, and some symptoms of mental illness could manifest or intensify. This can be the start of a viscous cycle, as depression, social anxiety, addictions and hoarding can be linked in some degree to loneliness.

Depression

 Depression and loneliness are often correlated.  Without friends or others to bond to, feelings of intense sadness can occur.  A recent study from the University of Chicago revealed that if someone has loneliness at the beginning of a five year period of time, that person is likely to have depression later in that five year period.  Loneliness was a predictor for the depression.

Social Anxiety

While physical isolation can cause loneliness (due to location for instance), loneliness can also be the result of being uncomfortable building relationships with people.  This feeling is known as social anxiety. Loneliness can also create the feeling that you are not worthy of being in a good relationship, or that you are unlikable.  These thoughts then cause fear and anxiety about being around people, and the loneliness intensifies.

Addiction

Studies have found that people who are lonely before taking a drug are more likely to become addicted than those who are not lonely.  In Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, author Johann Hari revealed that addictions are not just the result of chemical bonds in the brain, but are also the lack of having real connections to other people. Human connection can be crucial in avoiding and treating addictions.

Hoarding

Hoarding is an obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it can also be a result of loneliness.  When a person doesn't have meaningful relationships to fill their lives with, he or she could turn to filling the void with possessions.  The greater the loneliness, the greater amount of items it will take to fill that void.

If you are struggling with one of these conditions, or know someone who is, please consider the role that loneliness could be playing in exacerbating the symptoms.  Resolving the loneliness could lead to better mental outlook and health.

What You Should Know About Addiction Recovery

Whether you're recovering from alcohol or drug abuse or know someone who is, it can be helpful to understand the process. Addiction Recovery takes months, if not years, for full recovery. Within that time, the individual may suffer from periodic relapses or difficult times, with mood swings, irritability, and depression.

While friends and family members may expect a fast and full recovery, this is often unrealistic. The addict must make amends for physical or emotional pain caused to others. But, first he or she needs to understand why the addiction exists and how to handle the recovery process. Only when a person is on the road to recovery, can he or she begin rebuilding relationships after recovering from addiction.

When the individual is ready to make amends, the process is likely to be a slow one. First, the addict will need to recognize the pain and suffering caused to others. Then, a means of reaching out, in an honest, sincere manner is required. Often, those who have bee hurt the most will want to avoid contact at all costs. An intermediary may be helpful in reaching out to those who have been hurt by the addict's behavior or actions.

The next step is to initiate communications with an apologetic gesture. Sending a heartfelt card or making a sincere phone call will go farther than sending a message through a third party. But this will only work if the individual is at leas willing to listen.

When beginning communications with someone the addict has hurt, it's important to be patient. Trust takes time to establish and the addict may have broken a person's trust in the past. Don't expect too much at one time. Those who have been hurt are more likely to come around if they are given the time they need to process their feelings, time to see that recovery has been successful, and an opportunity to explain their own feelings. It is helpful to give the individual all the time they need to explain their feelings and ask questions about recovery. This is the time to be open and honest about past behaviors, as well as hopes for the future. Rebuilding relationships after recovering from addiction is a slow process, just like recovery.

Identifying Nine Substance-Induced Disorders

Toxic effects produced by various substances can often mimic mental disorders, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Mental illness symptoms that manifest from alcohol or drugs are called substance-induced disorders. Symptoms rage from mild anxiety and depression to mania and other psychotic reactions.

Alcohol

Euphoria, mood instability, decreased impulse control and increased social confidence are characteristic of those who consume heavy amount of alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms can include increased blood pressure, rapid heart beat, agitation and anxiety, tremors, malaise and perceptual distortions.

Caffeine

In large quantities, caffeine can produce anxiety, although the amount needed to do so varies from person to person. Caffeine can also produce an increase in panic attacks.

Cocaine and Amphetamines

Euphoria, and a sense of internal well-being, and perceived increased powers of thought, strength and accomplishment after often experienced by users of cocaine and amphetamines. Dangerous behavior increases with the amount ingested. anxiety users often experience occasional paranoid delusions that sometimes go on for years.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens can produced a distorted sense of time, depersonalization, paranoia and delusional states in addition to hallucinations. That latter usually take the for of enhanced colors and shapes. Some people who take hallucinogens have prolonged psychotic reactions, worsening of mental disorders and flashbacks, which can consisted of flashes of light and prolonged peripheral after images.

Nicotine

Individuals who are addicted to nicotine are more apt to experienced depression than non-users. some people use nicotine to regulate mood, but there is no direct causal relationship between nicotine and depression. Those who quit smoking, however, often experienced cravings and depressive symptoms.

Opioids

Intoxication from opioids results in intense euphoria and well-being. Withdrawal can include severe body aches, gastrointestinal symptoms, dysphoria and agitations. anxiety, depression and seep disturbances can occur weeks after abstaining. Many people who are opiod dependent need replacement therapies such as methadone or suboxone to treat relapses.

Sedatives

Acute sedative intoxication has symptoms similar those those experienced with alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms are also similar, with the addition of hallucinations and grand mal seizures.

Diagnosing substance-induced disorders often requires repeated reevaluations. Some individuals may have a combination of one or more independent mental disorders and a substance-induced disorder.

Symptoms Of Alcohol Withdrawal

Anyone who has ever experienced a hangover has experienced a very mild case of alcohol withdrawal. But when a person regularly uses alcohol for extended periods of time, the body becomes more dependent on alcohol. When that happens, withdrawal symptoms can become much more difficult to manage.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can feel like they take over your life. Fatigue, headache, and irritability occur very commonly. Nausea and vomiting can be present as well, although it is a common misconception that you only throw up when your body is trying to get rid of excess alcohol. Mood swings and cloudy thinking make it difficult to get along with others, while anxiety, nervousness and depression can make it difficult to get along with yourself. Clamminess, tremors and nightmares can all be caused by alcohol withdrawal as well.

Any "hangover" after drinking is usually a mild case of alcohol withdrawal, but after extended periods of time these symptoms can evolve into more complicated related illnesses. Tremors may become persistent, along with elevated heart rates and blood pressure. These problems lead to more problems until seeking help for alcohol withdrawal becomes seeking help for long-term alcohol dependence.

As a person become more and more addicted to alcohol, "hangover" withdrawal symptoms no longer disappear after a few hours. When withdrawal symptoms are persistent enough to last more than 36 hours after the last drink, they begin to become more serious and effect the patient's daily life.

Untreated, alcohol withdrawal and the problems associated with alcohol abuse can lead to death. If a long term alcoholic develops health conditions related to alcohol and is hospitalized, the withdrawal in the hospital can be severe enough to put the patient into danger.

The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are pretty commonly known; yet many people do not take these symptoms seriously. Brushing off these symptoms as harmless is a mistake if it leads to an increase in alcohol use. In as little as a few months, heavy regular drinking can lead to moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about any alcohol withdrawal symptoms that you are experiencing.

How Long Does Cocaine Withdrawal Last

If you are addicted to cocaine or know some who is, then perhaps knowing how long the withdrawal lasts is indeed an important priority. The withdrawal symptoms for cocaine can be very dire since the drug is very addictive and most people would normally fail to hold off the cravings once they have stopped using the drug.  Here is an overview  of how long withdrawal from cocaine lasts.
Before jumping to how long cocaine withdrawal lasts, it is important to first of all know exactly when it starts. Cocaine is a very powerful and addictive stimulant and the withdrawal symptoms will simply kick in a few hours after stopping. The immediate symptoms such as increased appetite, hallucinations and fatigue can go away after a few weeks, but when it comes to the cravings, the time needed to get over them can be relatively long.

How Long Will Withdrawal Symptoms Last?

The withdrawal symptoms of cocaine will last depending on the level of addiction and the type of treatment. Typically, to completely get rid of withdrawal symptoms, you may need a minimum of about six months. However, there are some people who may need even 2 years to get rid of the withdrawal symptoms.

What Determines How Long Cocaine Withdrawal Lasts?

There is no doubt there are some people who will get rid of cocaine withdrawal faster than others. There are some factors that actually come to play in this regard and more often than not, these factors will determine exactly how much time you need to get better. To start with, how long you have been on cocaine matters a lot. People who have been addicted for so many years will find it hard to deal with withdrawal than those who have been addicted for a relatively short time frame. Additionally, the amount of help, treatment and motivation you get will impact the end results.

Getting over cocaine and starting over is easier said than done. Nonetheless, with proper addiction treatment and support, you can break away from the chains of addiction. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

Meth Is A Terrible Drug To Be On

 

You'll want to get help when you can if you have an addiction to meth. This hard drug is one of the worst for your body and mind. While you may enjoy it at first, as you continue to use it will quickly eat away at you.

You need to make sure that you realize when you're buying meth on the street, you're getting something that may or may not be pure or even the real thing. They can cut the meth with varying chemicals so that they can sell you more of the product for more money. When you use this drug to get high, then you're taking in whatever else they put into it. This can be tough on your system, and could even kill you. While one batch may take a lot to get you high, if you did the same amount from a new batch you could overdose and possibly die.

Meth can make you start to lose your sanity basically when you use a lot of it for a long period of time. You may think you are in control of your mind at all times, but once you take too much and stay up for too long you really cannot control what's going on. You may not be able to sleep but will feel like you're dreaming and seeing things that you believe to be real. Lots of paranoia will occur and in general it's not good for you and could land you in the mental ward or worse.

Getting help is important when you have an addiction to meth. Be aware of your options and you will be able to start working through this in a careful manner. It will be tough, but once you get clean you will feel so much more happy.

How To Stop Using LSD Permanently Using This Strategy

You are probably heard about LSD sometime in your life, but you may not know exactly what it is. He does have a technical name, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and was once used as a therapeutic remedy for people back in the 60s. It wasn't until the 70s where it became questionable as a drug that have beneficial properties. It is sold on the street under the names acid, blotter and is a schedule 1 substance. In the same way that marijuana which has hundreds of medicinal properties is also a schedule 1 illegal drug, it is slowly becoming clear that despite its benefits, LSD actually can become addicting, and there are reasons for ending your addiction area

Side Effects Of LSD Use

The primary effects of LSD is that it causes hallucinations and delusions of your perceptions. It can also increase the amount of blood sugar in your blood stream, accelerate your heart rate and blood pressure, and cause tremors in your body. Mentally, it actually creates distorted perceptions of not only time, but also sounds, colors, and essentially every one of the five senses. People become addicted more to the effects than they do to the drug, and there are therapies that can help people stop using it.

Treatments For LSD Use

If you want to get treated for LSD, if you would prefer not going this alone, you can check into a treatment center where they can work with you every step of the way. You can also work with individuals that are close friends, allowing them to prevent you from using, and after a few weeks using either scenario, you will not have the cravings as you did before. If you would like to improve your health, and stop your overuse of LSD, use these strategies to finally end your addiction.